Some Things Just Happen
by PhantomLogic
Summary: Kagome is still trying to break through to Inuyasha, and decides to take a trip back to her time during a quiet period in the hunt for the sacred jewel. Things heat up in more than one way...
1. Default Chapter

Some things just happen. They happen without anyone knowing until it is too late to change things. Kagome pondered this philosophy as she walked down a dirt road pushing her bicycle, following Inuyasha and being followed by Sango, Miroku, and Shippou. The hunt for jewel shards had nearly dried up. Naraku had recently been very hard to trace and no new monsters or terrifying demons had popped up. There had been lulls like this before in the hunt, but they were always followed by frantic traveling and fighting as shards seemed to appear out of thin air. 

"Whatcha thinkin'?" questioned Shippou, after having run ahead to sit in the basket of Kagome's bicycle. The young kitsune stared up adoringly into Kagome's face, eagerly awaiting an answer. Kagome made a rapid decision, not wanting to spoil his little ray of sunshine with her depressing train of thought, and told him of an idea she had been bouncing around in her head for a while prior to the lull.

"Oh, I was just thinking about taking everyone back to my time for a visit. I know that I need to go back to retrieve some things and figured since the jewel shards are scarce right now, we might as well take a break." Kagome smiled down at the ecstatic little fox youkai as he whirled madly about in her basket.

"Do you mean it, Kagome? We could go meet your family and see your time and " Shippou was cut off when Inuyasha grabbed the handlebars of the bicycle Kagome had been pushing and yanked them out of her hands. Inuyasha thrust his face right up by Kagome's and stared her down.

"Did you just say what I think you said? You want to take a …break?!"

Kagome shoved her face right back into the dog demon's and sharply replied, "Yes, a break. You know as well as I do that we won't run across any jewel shards for a long while yet, so why not?" Since Inuyasha still looked slightly skeptical and mildly pissed, Kagome decided to pull out the big guns. With the most amazing smile she could muster and with the most batting of lashes she had ever done in her life, she slowly backed out of his face and coyly tossed, " Besides the shards being inactive for a bit, I think I might be running out of ramen…" The girl didn't even get to finish her sentence before she, her bicycle, with Shippou in the basket, were hoisted over the half-demon's head and sped straight for the well. 

And so begins the story of a girl and the destruction of her innocence. Please read, review if you like, flame if it pleases you, I just laugh because most of the time, flames are great fun to share with your friends and laugh your ass off over. Thanks for your time and thought. 

PhantomLogic 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: It breaks my heart to admit this, but Inuyasha is not mine. ::Sniffles:: Yes, I said it, he belongs to someone else…for now…

Miroku and Sango did all they could to catch up to a hanyou delirious with the thought of …instant raman. They barely made it to the well before Inuyasha jumped up on the rough wooden edge, preparing to delve inside.

"WAIT A SECOND!!!" bellowed the normally mellow Sango. Inuyasha stopped and turned mid lunge, looking at Sango and Miroku with his stupid oops-what-did-I-do-now look. Miroku approached the well and placing his hands on the edge looked up at the antsy half-demon.

"Inuyasha, will we all be able to travel through this portal? Only you and Kagome have tried and I for one would be unwilling to make a foolish decision concerning my wellbeing." Inuyasha stared down at the monk, willing himself not to kick him in the face. Sango also approached the well, and looked down into the inky black depths. 

"Well, I will risk this time travel if you think it will be possible." Sango stated as she looked expectantly up at Kagome, who was currently perched very precariously on Inuyasha's right shoulder. Kagome just smiled and nodded, not knowing what to reply to Sango's blind trust with.

"OK! All that is settled, can we go already?" Inuyasha whined, displeased with being separated from his precious promised raman for so long. The group sighed and the two members remaining on the ground mounted the sides of the well and each placed a hand on Inuyasha. Shippou jumped out of the bicycle basket and clung to Kagome, fearing that his small size could easily get him lost in such a mysterious place. 

With everyone now prepared, Inuyasha leapt off the edge of the bone-eater's well and into the obscurity of the time rip.

I know this chapter and the first were short, but it is very early in the morning, and I will update often. It pisses me off to no end when writers leave the story hanging for months so I will not put all of you through that torture. As always, review if it is your prerogative, if not, well, at least you read it.

PhantomLogic


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Yes, yes, I am still all with the not owning of Inuyasha, but maybe someday I will get more of the DVD's.

As soon as the floor of the well swallowed up the small group, they seemed to appear on the other side. 

"Hmmm, that was weird, the trip usually takes longer than that…" Kagome began to tell the others before the most repulsive scent invaded her nose. She couldn't quite place all the ingredients, but she recognized one: fire. She quickly looked to Inuyasha, his nose being more sensitive, but he was already on his way out of the well. Kagome scramble up the ladder, which her family had put down the well to make getting in and out easier. She silently thanked them as she hauled herself up.

The sight that greeted her at the top of the well was far from the usual. Flames had consumed the top, wooden portion of the house sheltering the well, and were also dancing about madly on many other buildings on the shrine grounds. Some buildings had already been laid to the ground by flames, others were untouched.

__

*This fire must not be very old, not everything has been hit by it* Kagome thought. She whipped around on her heel, looking frantically for Inuyasha, but had no luck locating him. Suddenly, she felt like a ton or two of bricks had hit her. *_Mom, Souta, Grandpa, where are they? Did they get away? Are they trapped inside one of the buildings? Are they already dead?* _Once again, Kagome flung her eyes about the burning shrine, this time seeking any hint of her family. When she saw them, no words could come to her, nothing in her body or mind or entire life could have prepared her for what she found.

Ok, seemed like a good place to end this chapter, more will follow shortly. Just want to say thanks to all the reviewers, I honestly didn't expect any so I was rather shocked. Fine, I was super giddy and drove myself nuts running around my house. Thanks for taking your precious time and using it on me.

PhantomLogic 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: The usual…

Well, I have had a suggestion made of a lemon/lime scene…any input would be appreciated, I will write it if you all think it would be an asset to the story. If not, I could write a one-shot in that manner, your call. Let me know via review. Oh yes, this chapter may get a bit gory for some of the more sensitive readers out there, so may you be warned …::does scary hand shaking thing:: 0_o

Her first reaction was to scream, her second to retch, her third to cry, but none happened. Kagome just stood there, staring. Staring at what once had been her family. Her source of love, comfort, and laughter. But now they were nothing but mutilated bits of flesh, stung along the front of the main shrine. The clothing appeared to have been burnt off their upper halves, but the clothing covering the lower halves was intact. A message had been carved into the singed flesh of their backs, each body bearing a single word: SHIKON NO TAMA. The blood oozing from the butchered skin and muscle glistened eerily in the firelight. The pool of the shining red liquid that had gathered beneath the bodies reflected Kagome's face, except the image was constantly fragmented by drips of her family's life essence.

Kagome could not breathe. She felt like the life had been drained out of her as it had been out of her family. She reached forward, not knowing why. Trailing her fingers through the blood running down each of her family members' backs, she let go of all reason. One thought flooded her senses, urging her to collect the toll from the one who would slaughter her innocent family like this. Display their bodies like this. Use them as blank canvases, just to pass on a message that she knew far to well. 

Revenge. This one word floated in her mind, the same crimson as the puddle at her feet. With the fresh blood on her fingers, Kagome drew them across her face, leaving four parallel marks diagonal to her features. With this simple, silent covenant, Kagome pledged to herself and her dead family that the one who did this would pay. They would feel the full wraith of a woman, not girl, robbed of all she held dear. This is what she swore.

Well, that was super short, but that sets the stage for all the rest I have planned. I kind of really got into it, but I hope it is decent. I am rather pleased with it personally. If you like or don't like, let me know. Thanks for your time and thought

PhantomLogic 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Ok, I actually decided that it is better that I did not own Inuyasha because I don't think I would share him with anyone else…mine mine mine!

Thank you once again to all those who take the time to review, I am always shocked to see just how many there are waiting for me. I feel so loved. Anyway, one with this little story of mine.

Inuyasha stopped looking for Kagome's family as soon as he saw her. There was no way he could miss the grisly message written with human lives that hung before the girl. He watched carefully as she marked herself with the blood of those who had been her life here, in this time.

Sango and Miroku, having told Shippou to stay at the bottom of the well, after having seen the flames, emerged from the burning shelter at a full run. They stopped quickly when they witnessed the human banner written in blood. Sango gasped and fell to her knees, memories of her family and demolished village flashing through her mind's eye. Miroku clutched his staff for support, as well as gingerly placing a hand on Sango's hunched shoulder. Visions of the destruction wrought by his wind tunnel plagued his mind, but he pushed them away violently. He had to be strong. 

Inuyasha alighted from the tree branch he had been perched on and approached Kagome. He stood slightly behind her, for once very unsure of what he should, or even could, do.

Kagome felt like she had just snapped out of a trance. She slowly turned from her once family and stood facing the hanyou. Inuyasha involuntarily took a step back. The once bubbly girl he had once known had been obliterated. In her place was a blank faced woman. No emotion. Her face and eyes painfully empty, almost dead. The streaks of blood on her face only set off her lack of feeling. 

"Kagome…" Inuyasha began, but was almost immediately silenced by a hand held out in front of him.

"Tell me." She coldly commanded. Inuyasha knew instinctually what she was referring to.

"This place, even despite the smoke, reeks of Naraku. I guess this was his way of demanding your shards." Kagome only shook her head no.

"This was his way of reminding us of just how weak we really are. His way of telling us that only one object could give us true power. His way of telling us, we lack a good portion of that object still, and it is in his possession. His way of a mocking us…" After finishing her explanation, Kagome glanced at Miroku and Sango, who was now back on her feet. 

"Leave here. Go back to the Warring States Era. Forget about the jewel. Forget about me."

All three jaws dropped at Kagome's chilling dismissal. They had all expected sorrow, anger, even confusion, not the icy tones delivered to them.

*_The death of innocence. How could Naraku do this? I know he is evil, but this served no purpose. None! This whole thing was needless. * _Inuyasha thought while he stared at the shell of the woman he once … loved? Was that the term he should use to describe how he had felt about Kagome? This was not the time to mentally argue this he decided.

"Well, go. I told you to leave," Kagome repeated. None of the group had moved at her first bidding. Sango went forward to Kagome, lifting her hand towards her. Kagome merely took a step back, not actually enough to prevent Sango from touching her, but enough to send a clear message.

"If you are sure you wish to be alone, Lady Kagome, we will do as you say." Miroku nodded to Sango and they headed back towards the bone eater's well. Inuyasha, however, didn't follow. He locked eyes with Kagome, his golden ones searching, probing her chocolate ones for any signs of her usual fire, any spark of her old spirit. To his horror, the only fire and sparks were those reflected from the raging inferno of what had once been her home, and sparks were only those snagged and tossed to the wind, swirling upwards to the brilliant stars, but dying long before they could reach the sparkling heavens.

Wowwie, that was a rather long chapter for me. Oh well, I wrote it out before I typed it. Hope you enjoyed it. Yes, it was night in Kagome's time, I had to properly set the scene you know. Hope you liked it, if you didn't, why in Kami's name did you read to the very end?? Well, enough of this…

PhantomLogic


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: The usual not owning thing….

Well, I have had some questions and concerns addressed to me. First off, I will explain how Naraku gets to Kagome's time in a future chapter. Second, yes, Kagome was pissed and wanted to cry, but more shall be revealed later, I already know where this story is going, just a task of fleshing it out with detail-y bits.

Inuyasha just could not bring himself to walk away from Kagome. All the times they had spent together during the hunt for the jewel floated up to the surface of his memory. He saw Kagome smiling, laughing, crying, thinking, and of course, sitting him. He could not bear to lose her. She had managed to tunnel through his stony exterior and imbed herself in his heart. She had accepted him for who he was and sought him above

the others when she needed comfort. He could not leave her in the time of her greatest need.

Thinking of all this, Inuyasha quickly embraced Kagome, locking his arms around her tightly, hoping against hope that she would somehow reciprocate the gesture. His heart nearly broke when she allowed her arms to remain limp at her sides. The half demon took a step back, not releasing his grip on her, but looking down on her face. * _Damn you Naraku! Damn you to the lowest region of hell!!_* 

Inuyasha's face contorted with rage, but then melted into sorrow. "Kagome, you can't stay here…The " He was cut off by the woman.

"I realize that and therefore do not intend to do so." Inuyasha kept his gaze on her, still trying to accept that this foreign woman was once the girl he had tromped around the countryside of the Feudal Era with. 

"Then where will you go?" he queried.

"That is none of your concern now. You will finally be rid of me just as you have always wished."

His stomach dropped. * _Does she really believe that? NO! This is not Kagome speaking, this is the icy shell of who she once was. * _"Kagome, you and I both know that isn't true, but if you really wish to be alone, I will leave." Kagome nodded to this. "But, I will not leave you alone forever." Inuyasha tossed back over his shoulder as he made his way to the well, and back to his own time.

I will end this chapter here, and just so you know, the fire is still raging, but it is not enough to be a viable threat. I will have many more notes in the next chapter. Thanks for reading and spending time on my story. I am very excited about what I have in the works.

PhantomLogic


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or anything much for that matter, but I do own my mind and body, and I would say that is pretty damn good!!

Two Years Later…

After having returned through the well, they had informed Lady Kaede of the occurrences in Kagome's time. The old priestess retreated into her spiritual corner and prayed for what she hoped would be a good life for young Kagome because she had a feeling she knew what the young girl would try.

"Well, Inuyasha, any luck?" Shippou asked hopefully.

"Not one damn whiff! How the hell does she manage to keep her scent from me?!" the half demon fumed. How the hell does she manage to keep her scent from me?!" Inuyasha replied to the eager young Kitsune. Shippou and Inuyasha's ears drooped as they headed back to their camp. Miroku and Sango were already there, beginning to prepare the evening meal.

Miroku, Sango, Shippou, and Inuyasha had been searching for Kagome for over a year. Suggestions of giving up were often offered, but Inuyasha would become furious at their lack of caring. Also, every once in a very great while, Inuyasha would catch a tiny trace of Kagome's scent on a passing breeze. Even though her scent had changed, becoming sadder, lonelier, and to some extent colder, he recognized it and would take off like an idiot in whatever direction it had come from, only to find that it would seemingly vanish. He would be on an emotional high for a few days, maybe even a week, then would revert back to what had become his usual scowling self. All the progress he had made while being with Kagome had disappeared, leaving behind a demon far worse than the previous.

"I just don't get it!" he roared that evening upon returning to the camp.

"So, still nothing? We really should give it up. She obviously doesn't want to be found," Miroku muttered into the fire he was prodding.

Nearby, two dark eyes surveyed the little scene. The figure the eyes belonged to shifted from the current position to a more comfortable one. The very slight rustling caused by the motion drew Inuyasha's attention. He didn't see anything, except the deep shade of dusk in the forest. However, the little hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, and he got the distinct impression he was being watched. The demon dismissed the sound and the intuition and continued speaking with the others in his group.

The figure in hiding barely relaxed. *_Count on Inuyasha to be overconfident. I could have easily killed him by now. * _Giving a scarcely noticeable, grim smile at having been assured of the small party's well being, the figure bounded up into a nearby tree branch and settled in to meditate. *_I really need to keep track of my time more carefully now. I almost let it go to long. *_ the mysterious being thought.

The band settled down for the night, Inuyasha taking first watch, Miroku second, and Shippou third. All the males had convinced Sango that she need not take a watch.

The first two went by without and interruptions and Shippou was awoken for his turn. The sneaky little fox, not really wanting to take his watch, decided to skip out. He cleverly waited until Miroku had gone to sleep, then curled back up in his blankets. 

The figure, which had been meditating until that point, rose from a sitting position to a crouch. With a tremendous leap and a graceful mid-air flip, the being landed without a sound. Using precise stealth, the figure crept into the encampment and neared the sleeping dog demon. Trembling fingers reached out to his rosary necklace, delicately stroking the hard smoothness. Then, without a second thought, the bead were slipped over Inuyasha's head and laid atop his sleeping roll. A salty drop of water fell from above and splattered on a single bead, rolling off in many tinier droplets, and leaving little wet marks on the fabric of the sleeping roll.

Sensing something, or someone, close to him, Inuyasha woke from his deep slumber and blearily opened one eye. Leaning over him was a female, dressed in all black. Before he could really see anything more than that, the sun chose that exact instant to breach the horizon and backlight the intruder.

With the brilliant morning sunbeams disguising whoever it was, Inuyasha decided to act. He sprang clumsily from his sleeping roll and darted forward towards the intruder. The person easily dodged the attack of the half-sleeping demon. With a nimble jump, the being left Inuyasha completely alone. He whipped his head around, waiting for an ambush, but it never came.

While inspecting the area around his bed for footprints, he came across his rosary beads, all tangled up in a knot from him so quickly exiting his bed. He gingerly picked them up and ran them through his fingers. Still holding them, he once again looked around, this time in wonder. He sniffed the air, knowing exactly what he should be smelling. That was when he noticed it, there was no scent, none, not even the earthy smell of the woods. It was like a scent should be there, but it was invisible. *_Is that how she is doing it? Does she make her scent invisible? That way, it would still be there, but it would be unrecognizable, as well as untraceable! *_

Wow, another super long chapter! I might as well tell you now though, I will be gone from the 7 – 12, so I will not be able to post any new chapters, BUT, I will be coming back with many more written, so there will be a frenzy of updating. Bear with me through that one week and it will all be better!

PhantomLogic.


	8. Author's Note

Sorry, this is but a note. My little book of Inuyasha goodness has gone missing since my trip, so all the writing I have done is missing too. I will work as fast as I can to redo it all, but it may take me a bit. Thank you kindly for your patience. 

PhantomLogic


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: You know how this should go, I don't need to write it…

MmmKay, I have been writing this story in snatches, such as on my breaks at work and between doing things at home, so you might notice little change over areas. Sorry about these, but I can only do so much. Also, if you have any scenes you would like to see incorporated, let me know. Thanks for reviewing if you did, I really wasn't expecting to get any since I refuse to beg for them. (Icebolt140, FoXxdemond, Simpson-Girl **twice!**, PhantomFlyer, gene-kitty **twice!**, Hideki LaShae, Schizo, JadeBlueAfterGlow, Inu-Angel, ladykaa28, PerfectReRe **twice!**, lilblossom82, Idatashii Koinonayami **twice!**

When the other three awoke, they found Inuyasha sitting in a nearby tree, idly running his rosary beads through his fingers, looking off into the distance. Once he realized the others were awake, he swooped down from the tree and caught up Shippou in his sharp claws. The small bundle of fur tried to scamper away, but decided it would be best to just cringe and hope to survive Inuyasha's beating. However, before the enraged demon could get at the little fox, he was halted.

"What the hell are you beating Shippou for now?!" Sango cried as she shielded him with her body. This action clicked in Inuyasha's brain. *_She looks a lot like Kagome when she does that.* _Before Inuyasha could make another move, Miroku was in front of him, staring at the demon's chest, exactly where the rosary beads should have been.

"H-h-h-how?" he stuttered, not believing such an event possible. The monk got no response from Inuyasha, though. He just lowered the paw ready to slice Sango and Shippou into little pieces and slumped his shoulders, turning away from the group. 

Miroku turned to Sango, who was still clutching Shippou, who was still wide-eyed and trembling with terror. Miroku inclined his head and motioned with his hand for the two to retreat from the campsite. They wandered into the forest, grateful to be spared their lives with Inuyasha always on the warpath. 

Once the two had gone a good distance, Miroku approached the brooding hanyou and asked quietly, "What was the cause of your unusual temper this morning?" The monk wisely decided to avoid the issue of the beads at present, hoping that they would come up in conversation without his prompting.

Without turning, and in a low, almost emotionless voice, Inuyasha addressed Miroku's question. "I woke up early and found Shippou asleep on his watch. That is not a very comforting sight." After he stopped, it was apparent that he was not going to continue about anything else, so, with a weary sigh, Miroku took a step closer to the demon. 

"And your beads…?" 

"What about them, monk?" Inuyasha growled dangerously, slowly rounding on poor Miroku. He closed the distance between them, and, thrusting the beads into the frightened man's hands, growled again, "here they are, go ahead, look at them, take them if you like, they are nothing to me." Miroku gulped and began to go into a cold sweat. He knew the only way they could be removed was by the hand of the one who placed them over the head, or by the death of said person.

Miroku gently took the beads from Inuyasha's hand, turning them over in his palm, trying to decide what to think. *_If the cause of the beads being removed was Kagome's death, we are in much deeper trouble than we can handle…She was the last hope Inuyasha harbored. If she is gone, there is nothing left to hold him to his new rational way of thinking. He will destroy us all in a fit of rage!! But then again, some things just happen* _Miroku looked uneasily at the demon, silently praying that Kagome somehow managed to sneak into the camp, lift the beads, and sneak back out undetected, but the monk doubted the girl's ability to accomplish such a task. 

"Um, Inuyasha, how do you, uh, well, what would your theory be as to the, err, removal of…" the frightened monk didn't even get the chance to finish his question before the half demon whirled to reply.

"She took them off, she is alive, I saw her, this morning, in camp, here, right here!" he rushed out. Miroku just stared, bewildered. He realized just how much Inuyasha missed the girl, even after two years of her being gone. He knew that there was some level of love inside the demon for the bubbly girl. Miroku could hardly fathom how he would handle the situation if it were put upon him and Sango, let alone how love struck Inuyasha dealt with it.

"Can you explain to me exactly what took place this morning?"

Elsewhere in Feudal Japan…

The arrow glowed with an eerie pink aurora. With a dull thwack, it connected with its target. A large water demon dropped out of the air and back into the lake below it, the previously mentioned arrow completely impaling the body.

A woman stood poised on the shore, bow held out at full arm's length. She closed her eyes, feeling for the jewel shard's energy, and then dove into the water to retrieve it.

As soon as the precious fragment had been removed from the body of the vanquished demon, the body dissolved in a gust of tiny bubbles and swirled away in the current.

As soon as she climbed out of the lake, the dripping black clad femme held the shard near the large chunk suspended on a chain around her neck. She could feel in the increase of energy as the two pieces fused together. She looked up from the jewel around her neck and gazed into a brilliant blue sky. "One step closer. Soon Naruku, very soon." 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I am getting tired of writing these, so this one will go for all the rest of the chapters, I do not own Inuyasha or anything else except a few things so please don't sue me. Thank you.

Since I have had several reviews asking for longer chapters, I will try to make them longer, but I will be unable to update as often. If you are one of those who don't mind the short chapter, tell me in a review and I will see which side has the most support and go from there. Thank you.

After Inuyasha had explained his encounter with the mysterious woman to Miroku, Sango, and Shippou, including the part about not finding a scent, at all, there was a thoughtful silence. The subject of the silence was how to make one's scent "invisible." None had ever heard of such a feat. Finally, Inuyasha presented and idea.

"Do you suppose it is a spell with a trigger word, like the beads?"

"No, I don't think any magical item could have the power required to erase a scent." Miroku responded.

"Why don't we ask Lady Kaede?" Sango offered hesitantly, knowing Inuyasha's scorn for the old woman.

"But we will lose Kagome's um…scent? If we leave the area!" Inuyasha replied frantically.

"How about some of us go, and some follow the scent?" Shippou suggested.

"Great, let's go!" yelled Inuyasha as he grabbed Sango around the waist and took off after the hidden trail.

Miroku and Shippou, completely stunned by what just happened just, stood staring after the pair, watching a rising cloud of dust.

"I think we were just volunteered, but, Miroku, I wanna find Kagome too!" Shippou said, turning big pleading eyes on the monk. Miroku stared back.

"You know I hate leaving Lady Sango's side, but some things just have to happen. Besides, I can't very well find where Inuyasha is without being able to smell him, so he actually made a very wise choice of who to take along with him." The little Kitsune nodded, sadly, and then hopped onto Miroku's shoulder.

"Well, the sooner we talk to Lady Kaede, the sooner we can continue our search for Kagome." With that, Shippou and Miroku were off in the direction of the priestess's village.

With Sango clinging firmly to his back, Inuyasha was having no trouble getting around, but he was finding it difficult to track the un-scent left by Kagome. He had never encountered something like this. The trail had rapidly taken to the trees, making leaps that left Inuyasha wondering if it really were Kagome they were following.

Suddenly, Inuyasha caught a whiff of a different smell, one he disliked youkai. He sniffed around the tree they were in, but found the evil odor coming from somewhere ahead of them. Inuyasha took off at full speed again, trying to keep track of Kagome's invisible essence while simultaneously trying to follow that of the demons.

Just as he was getting frustrated with not finding the intruding demons, he caught a trace of something that frightened him. There was a small clearing just beyond the pair, and now Inuyasha dreaded what he might see there.

"Sango, please, let me check the clearing first, you wait here." Though the hanyou knew Sango was a demon slayer and would have no trouble killing anything they came across, Inuyasha smelled blood. Sango knew not to argue with him, he had been polite, there was something very seriously wrong. Inuyasha feared that in this small clearing, his whole world, all his hopes, everything might come to pieces. If it was the mutilated body of Kagome he came across, he wanted to spare Sango the pain. He, on the other hand, had been living in pain ever since that day two years ago when she told them all to leave. This would just be the climax and destruction of who he was. A new kind of pain would take hold, one without hope of an end. *_No!* _he thought_, *this would have an end, but not a happy one.* _ Inuyasha took a deep breath and entered the clearing, alone.

Well, I just couldn't resist leaving the story here, it was too perfect a cliffhanger to let slide. I'm sorry if you would like to murder me right now, but you should be glad that I have a sense of humor. If you would just glance up at the drop bar that lets you pick chapters, you will notice that I have the next chapter up already. Aren't I just the best little updater?

PhantomLogic


	11. Chapter 10 b

Here you go, you see, I didn't leave you hanging really. Kind of sad, that would have been the most evil little trick, but so be it. Read, review if you like, I am off and running with another chapter already.

Inuyasha was shocked. There was blood forming pools in low spots. Little streams of the red liquid oozed down into the collection from many destroyed bits of flesh. The odor of blood was overwhelming, blocking out everything else.

Strewn about the clearing were parts of what appeared to be demon bodies. There had to be close to a dozen, if not more. Inuyasha just stared. *_What kind of being had the power to take down so many youkai? And there must have been more than one attacking at the same time! Who could have done this?!* _The dog demon tore his eyes away from the carnage and turned back to the forest to retrieve Sango.

Even the young demon exterminator was in awe of what happened. She kept looking around, trying to comprehend what had occurred.

"Even my father, the best demon slayer ever to have lived, even him and all his best warriors could not have accomplished something like this. It must be the work of a very powerful being or group." Sango said, trying to rationalize the destruction of so many demons in so short a time.

"I don't know, this looks all like the same style and method…I think we should take a look around," Inuyasha said as he approached the nearest mangled body. Sango went over to another and knelt down beside it, looking closely at what was left.


	12. Chapter 11

Sorry this took so long to get out, but I was trying to make the chapter longer and I went up to my friend's cabin for a few days and, well, she took away my writing goods to help me "relax". So, to all of you who have decided to stand beside me despite my horrible updating skills, thanks, very much. On with my twisted tale!

"Ahh, Inu…Inuyasha, you'd better come see this!!" Sango stuttered as she stared down at the remains in front of her. Inuyasha was at her side in a flash, also peering down at the body. There, stuck neatly out of what appeared to be the creature's forehead was a single arrow. Inuyasha hastily snatched it out of the youkai and wiped the bloody arrowhead off in the dirt next to him. He held the shaft close to his nose and drew a deep breath.

*YES! * he thought immediately, *her arrow! It has her wonderful fragrance woven around it like…like… I don't even know what like, but it is hers!!* As he got lost in his thoughts, Sango stood and continued looking around the clearing.

"Inuyasha, there is an arrow in each one, all the same kind of arrow too." The hanyou snapped out of his dreaming, almost sighing at being torn away from his phantom Kagome. He glanced around the area, verifying what Sango had just told him.

"I wonder how she could have done this alone…" Inuyasha wondered aloud. He couldn't even imagine how he himself would have been able to. *Maybe, just maybe, she had reached her full potential and tapped into the enormous power the old hag keeps talking about.* The half-demon walked around the small patch over earth once more, admiring the work done by his beloved, then went off in search of the trail he and the demon killer had previously been following.

Miroku and Shippou had reached Kaede's village in amazing time, daylight still being with them. The pair headed straight for the old woman's hut, eager for rest after how hard they had pushed themselves that day.

Upon arriving, the two were greeted by the old miko, then accepted a quickly prepared meal. Afterwards, they all made themselves comfortable for the long story.

(Insert the whole previous fic here because I refuse to rewrite all of it.)

Once they had finished their narrative, it was deep into the night and the fire was merely a bed of simmering coals, bathing the room in a crimson glow. Shippou glanced around the small room, noting the color. The Kitsune shuddered, hoping that it was neither an omen nor a warning.

Kaede had listened the entire time without interruption. She just watched the monk and the demon take turns speaking. By the end, she did have a few things in mind. "Miroku, Shippou, methinks you are the bearers of joyous news, as well as troubling. The good news be that the young priestess is learning to tap into her great power. The unsettling news be I fear ye may have greater trouble in finding her before it be too late."

"But, Lady Kaede, how is it that Lady Kagome is able to disguise her scent thus? And what do you mean by 'too late'?" Miroku leaned forward against his staff as he asked. Shippou's ears perked too, not wanting to miss any information about the woman who had become a mother to him, despite all their differences.

"Aye, her scent be a tricky bit of work. She must be either very competent in her skills as a miko or very lucky in stumbling on very useful abilities of hers. What must be done is a meditation, a communing with the earth and all the powers housed within it. By doing such, one loses oneself in the universe and become an indistinct part of it, therefore, one would have no other odor than that of pure earth. It takes very great power to accomplish this, however. If Kagome has found a way to dip so deeply into hers, I fear she will be lost to ye forever." The dark ending to the elder priestess' speech left the twosome curious as well as terribly frightened.

"What to you mean by lost?" Miroku ventured again, hoping it was not what he was contemplating. Shippou unconsciously took a fistful of Miroku's robe in his tiny paw and held to it like a security blanket. Lady Kaede sighed, trying to phrase the answer carefully enough that the pair would get a general idea of the result of Kagome's disappearance, as well as not sending them straight for her. The woman wanted to give the girl a chance to avenge her family, but did not want to allow the girl to destroy herself. She finally thought of just the right words. 

"She may make your task of finding her nigh to impossible with her new abilities. I understand that the demon Inuyasha is somewhat capable of following her hidden trail, but if she chooses to conceal herself, not even Inuyasha will be able to find her. If she does this, she is beyond your reach, for good." Miroku and Shippou exchanged looks, trying to see if either of the other could dechipher the old miko's explanation. Almost in unison, they turned back to her, puzzled looks on their faces. Miroku cleared his throat and stood. He nonchalantly cast his eyes around the room and then settled them once again on the graying woman seated before him.

"Lady Kaede, my the young fox and myself find shelter here tonight?" Kaede smiled at the monk, glad to be free of the questioning. She spread her hands, indicating that they may stay and choose the spot they wished to sleep in. Sippoou glanced around as well, appraising the room. 

"I will just sleep with you, Miroku," the fox declared, knowing that the monk would provide a comfy place to rest, along with a pleasant amount of heat. Miroku just snorted and settled down in a corner. Shippou hopped onto his shoulder, snuggling between him and the wall. 

Yes, yes, another short chapter, but a chapter all the same. You must all be nice to me because I am in great pain. I dropped a bowling ball on my toes yesterday and my big toe is all swollen and pretty colored. So, love me and my fic and I am sure it will get better.

PhantomLogic


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